"Mr. High School Sports" - Eye on the WPIAL: Class AA Football Teams to Watch
By Matt Popchock
We are less than two months from the start of a great western Pennsylvania institution: high school football. Mr. High School Sports is getting geared up to bring you comprehensive preseason coverage leading up to the start of the 2011 WPIAL season, but first he needs to know whom he should be looking for on the gridiron...and so do you.
In the weeks that lie ahead, we'll get into more in-depth coverage of what's new and exciting for each of the 126 District 7 teams in all four classifications for the upcoming campaign, but first, to whet your appetite, Mr. High School Sports would like to give you an early glimpse of some of the teams in Class AA he'll be watching:
Aliquippa - The Quips are coming off back-to-back disappointing defeats at Heinz Field, and they've been to an unprecedented 21 WPIAL title games overall, so no one is doubting they'll be in the conversation, though making it back will be difficult until this team can rediscover its identity on offense. Senior quarterback Mikal Hall is dynamic, and Kaylan Kenny is an effective receiver, but graduating Darius Walker and Ben Cobb leaves a big fat question mark in the backfield. Can Mike Zmijanac reload again, or will this group of athletes need some more seasoning before he gets that elusive gold medal?
South Fayette - The Lions didn't end their historic 2010 campaign the way they wanted to, but they at least finished what they started by capturing their first WPIAL crown since 1964 and boasting the best offense in the district en route to the title. Don't expect that same level of productivity from this year's Lions, who must rebuild after having lost a bevy of skill players including tailback Jeff Davis and QB Christian Brumbaugh, who graduated as one of the district's all-time greats. John Lerda will still have Zach Challingsworth to throw to, but the skillful coaching of Joe Rossi will truly determine whether the new-look Lions can at least stay relevant.
Seton-LaSalle - The Rebels had one of the most talented offenses in the WPIAL last season, but they couldn't get out of South Fayette's shadow, nor could they get it going enough to get them to Heinz Field, but in what seems to be a slightly watered down Class AA, that might be possible this year. Tailback Kevin Hart, one of the most prolific players in the area, will be a senior, and speaking of seniors, LaSalle only graduated eight of those. If the defense can grow from last year's postseason failure, and if the learning curve for junior QB Luke Brumbaugh is short, look out for this team.
Burrell - The Buccaneers have an interesting situation: a new coach, Kevin Horwatt, who will have to figure out how to use two quarterbacks who each showed flashes of brilliance last season. Senior Zack Middleby and junior James Liput will give Horwatt some options, and fortunately for the Bucs' sake, Horwatt knows a thing or two about being a QB; he played the position for Burrell's last WPIAL title team in 1995 under outgoing coach Tom Henderson. How fast the rest of his starters-in-waiting can develop will determine whether they are consistent enough to return to the playoffs.
Jeannette - The Jayhawks will try to restore pride and excellence to their name and build off a respectable showing in 2010, and they'll do it with dual offensive threat Demetrius Cox leading the way. Cox, who is also one of the premier senior linebackers in the state, will appreciate whatever help he can get on both sides of the ball, because Jeannette has lost 15 seniors, including four running backs and star lineman Jordan Batts. This team usually has enough athletes to make noise in a top-heavy conference, but it should be interesting to see who else besides Cox wears the cape this year.
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Be sure to revisit 937thefan.com later this month, as Mr. High School Sports' "Eye on the WPIAL" turns to some of the top players to watch in Class AA!
